"I am too busy to think much about it," said Rachel, and she added, "when I do I turn my thoughts to Luke, and feel how much I have to be thankful for in having him."
Gwen laughed a little unbelievingly; and on returning to Trowsby, she felt she could not endure more than a few days in it although her favourite sister lived there. Of course she helped Rachel with the household work, and made fun of it; but she hated it for all that, and could not understand how Rachel could endure it after her life at home. She studied Luke attentively and critically; nothing escaped her, and a day or two before she left, he heard a knock at his study door and on opening it found Gwen facing him.
"I want to talk about something very important," she said.
Luke was in the midst of writing a paper to be read at a clerical meeting, and was sorry to be interrupted; but he invited her in with a smile and drew up a chair for her. She seated herself and then looked up at him gravely. He wondered what was coming. Gwen's expression of face was severe.
"I suppose you know how unwell Rachel is," she began.
"Unwell?" said Luke startled.
"Yes, she is quite different to what she was at home. She has lost all her spirits and looks. Do you mean to say you have not noticed?"
"No, certainly I have not," said Luke. "She is always very bright."
"That's just like a man," said Gwen scornfully. "They never notice when their wives look ill. They are all alike. Rachel is working far too hard, it will wear her out."
Luke rose greatly concerned and leant against the mantle piece looking down at his severe young judge, anxiously.